Chicago Locations Archives

Photo by Shamontiel, condom collection from BEHIV

A few days ago, I received a card in the mail from the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. I've spoken to several college classes about safe sex and volunteered to help raise money for HIV/AIDS Awareness over the years, on top of writing "Round Trip," so this card caught my attention. On the front of the card, there's a red ribbon on the front of one of the buildings in the Chicago skyline. Underneath the skyline, it says "Imagine..." and "...our world without AIDS" is printed in the inside flap. Powerful card. And with your help on World AIDS Day and every other day of the year, we can all help fight this disease. 

 

World AIDS Day is around the corner on December 1, and worldwide there will be different locations honoring this important day. The CNA building in the loop honors this day with a red ribbon and the words "Fight AIDS" that is easily viewable from Lake Shore Drive. So what does this have to do with you?

On Friday, October 30, President Barack Obama signed the Ryan White HIV/AIDS CARE Act and stated, "there are still 1.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States and more than 56,000 new infections that occur every single year." While you may not be one of the 56,000 that currently have HIV/AIDS, fatal STDs such as this one can hit you or anyone around you at any point and time. This is why safe sex is so important in your sexual relationships.

And no safe sex is 100 percent. Even in a committed relationship, married people are also a growing number to find out that they have HIV/AIDS from a cheating partner. Even the Obamas got tested for HIV/AIDS to prove that it's okay to do so.

If you're interested in being tested and you live in the Chicago area, here are some commonly asked questions and answers about HIV/AIDS testing.

This past week, I was honored with interviewing two of Crain's 40 Under 40 professionals, Sherman Wright and Ahmad Islam from Commonground, a marketing agency that embraces multiculturalism. I think it's so respectable how they're building a bridge to encourage diversity where there was none. Other marketing companies are jumping on the bandwagon slowly but surely, but I knew about many of Commonground's products before I'd ever heard of Commonground so to find out that they'd achieved the honor of Crain's Chicago list for 2009 wasn't a surprise. I talked with these two entrepreneurs about social networking, diversity in marketing, their advertising and marketing background, and the economy.

And on Monday, Nov. 23, I was flattered to be invited to their 40 Under 40 Honoree Reception at a Chicago bar and restaurant called Clutch, located at 459 N. Ogden Avenue, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Free food was served at KMT Health Fair event.

KMT Health Food Store had their first KMT Health Fair from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. today, and quite a crowd turned out. After entering the health food store, located at 233 E. 75^th St., the back was filled with people signing in, filling out free raffle tickets and guests had the opportunity to meet with different specialists for less than $5 and one for free.

Free food sat on a table on the left-hand side, including Tabouli, rice with lentils, salad with marinated vegetables, Barbara's cheese puffs, Mi-Del vanilla snaps and yogurt raisins.

Specialists at tonight's event included Yvette Magallón for chair massages, Fanta Celah for Reiki energy healing, Clairvoyant Center of Chicago for aura energy readings, Tru Heart Fit (Costellano) for movement training with C-bands and jungle gym lessons, David Jenkins for numerology readings, and Dr. Ceasar for Emotional Freedom and Stress Relief sessions.

After a brief numerology reading with David Jenkins, I headed upstairs for the Emotional Freedom and Stress Relief Sessions. I definitely understand why Dr. Ceasar was the one to hold these stress-free sessions because even when I mentioned how disorganized the sign-up process was (only Dr. Ceasar's class had a sign-up sheet at the front but the rest of the guests just had to hang around each specialist's room blocking the hallway and wait their turns), his response was, "Are you stressed?" I playfully rolled my eyes, but he still kept that same mellow tone. 

When another lady wanted to use her cell phone and blocked the gate in hopes that she could have her conversation and still attend the stress relief seminar, he simply walked her out of the gate while she tried to coax him into letting her finish her call, closed the gate and went about his session. No complaining. Just walked her out. I was amused. You weren't going to get this brotha excited.

Me sitting on the front porch of my Missouri apartment in 2002

I've lived in three states within the past decade during my university years. I've gone from dorms to off-campus apartments to the south side of Chicago to the north side of Chicago, and I've had my fair share of real estate company tales.

In Missouri, my real estate company was okay, but they wanted to charge me for utility issues that had nothing to do with me and everything to do with the building being old. But the rent in Jefferson City, Missouri (Lincoln University is my alma mater) was $225 for a one-bedroom apartment in a beautiful neighborhood. No sane person is going to pass that up, especially when they know the rent prices living in bigger cities. However, I had a neighbor who blasted loud music and wanted to leave her trash on the steps instead of using the correct trash bags. We ended up in a bag throwing argument and the police were called--she was ticketed and I went back in the house to sleep. That was my one nightmare moment with neighbors.

Photo courtesy of Six Flags Great America

Halloween is coming. Why not scare yourself silly and drop 147 feet on the American Eagle, speed through six 160-degree turns or have random "dead" people jumping out at you at Six Flags Great America? Chicago is already giving Illinoisans the gloomy weather for nearby Gurnee, IL's Six Flags location, but don't let the cold weather stop you. The water park is closed, but the rides are still zooming like crazy. Over 75 rides (including 13 roller coasters, 35 kids' rides and 22 family ride in addition to other water rides), two haunted houses, two "scare-thru areas" and the "Thrill the World" Michael Jackson tribute with thousands of people re-enacting the "Thriller" scene sounds like a lot of fun.

Brooke Gabbert, Six Flags' Director of Communications, took time out to talk to ChicagoNow.com blogger Message from Montie about how Chicago's B96 deejay Jerzy is handling living in the Sky Trek Tower (since Oct. 10) until the Raging Bull gets 1.5 million riders, what's new this year for the Fright Fest and why people should spend their weekends at Six Flags.